Crusader Football Prepares For Start Of 2009 Season

During Tom Gilmore's tenure as head
coach, the Holy Cross football team has established itself as one
of the top programs in the Patriot League. The Crusaders stand
21-12 overall and 13-5 in the conference over the last three
seasons, both of which are the best marks in the league during that
time frame. Holy Cross has also posted a winning record for each of
the last four years, and produced the Patriot League Offensive
Player of the Year in three of the past four seasons. This fall,
the Crusaders will look to build upon that success by winning their
first Patriot League title since 1991.

On the offensive side of the ball, Holy
Cross returns six starters and 17 of the 22 players on last
season's final two-deep chart. That group will look to improve on
what they accomplished a year ago, when they led the conference in
scoring offense (34.4 points per game), total offense (455.4 yards
per game) and passing offense (348.9 yards per game). With all of
this experience returning, Holy Cross should once again have one of
the top offenses in the nation this season.

"We can be very good on offense this
year," said Gilmore. "Over the last few years, we have shown that
we can be productive, move the ball and score points. In order to
continue having success, we will need to protect the football,
block well up front and finish off drives when we get into the red
zone."

As for the defense, the Crusaders have
nine starters back on a unit which looks to be one of the top
defenses in the Patriot League. Holy Cross allowed 25.8 points and
367.3 yards per game in 2008, and will look to improve upon those
numbers with a number of experienced players returning to the
lineup. The strength of the defense could come from the
linebackers, where all four starters return from 2008.

"We can get a lot better on defense
this year," said Gilmore. "We have been improving over the last few
years - now we just need to be more consistent and put it all
together. There are a number of experienced and talented players on
that side of the ball, and I know they are going to challenge
themselves to perform at a high level this season."

Here is a position-by-position
breakdown of how the Crusaders should look in 2009.

QuarterbackThe Holy Cross offense will be led by senior quarterback
Dominic Randolph, who has won two straight Patriot League Offensive
Player of the Year awards and finished ninth in the voting for the
Walter Payton Award last season. In 2008, Randolph completed 340 of
520 attempts for 3,838 yards and 34 touchdowns. He led the nation
in completions, passing yards and total offense (3,917 yards),
while setting school single-season records for passing yards, total
offense, completions, pass attempts and touchdown passes.

This fall, Randolph will be one of the
favorites to win the Walter Payton Award, as only two other
returning players in the nation received more votes for the award
than he did last year.

"Dominic Randolph has a tremendous
amount of experience and has been one of the most productive
quarterbacks in Holy Cross history, so it is a huge plus to have
him back for another year," said Gilmore. "We know he has the
ability and the work ethic necessary to become an even better
player this season. And not only is he a great player, but he is an
outstanding leader, becoming the first three-time captain in Holy
Cross history."

Senior Joe Kosich looks to return to
his role as Randolph's backup, but he will be pushed by sophomore
Kevin Watson for that spot. Junior Ryan Taggart and sophomore Mark
Tolzien will also attempt to move up on the depth chart, with
freshman Grant Enders joining the competition this fall.

Wide Receiver
Randolph should have a number of excellent targets to hit, as Holy
Cross returns five of its top seven wide receivers from last
season. Leading the way is junior Josh Jenkins, who totaled 35
catches for 329 yards last season. Senior Nick Cole is also coming
off a strong year in 2008, when he totaled 30 receptions for 281
yards and two scores. Junior Freddie Santana added 27 catches for
310 yards and three touchdowns last season, while senior Bill Edger
totaled 24 receptions for 345 yards and four scores, and junior
Luke Chmielinski caught 24 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown.

"At wide receiver, we have lost some
starters over each of the last three years, but we play so many
people that the guys coming up wind up being able to fill in and
pick up where the last group left off," said Gilmore. "We have
several players with an awful lot of playing experience, including
Luke Chmielinski, Nick Cole, Bill Edger, Josh Jenkins and Freddie
Santana. We know that all of those guys will be very productive,
and we feel very comfortable with them on the field."

Several other players look to be in
contention for starting spots, including senior Mike Frawley,
junior Rob Koster and sophomore Charles McCall. Senior Taylor Glor,
junior Rob Turner and sophomore Paul McKelvey will also look to
become factors at wide receiver, while freshmen Jack Karlovec, Nick
Mercurio, Gerald Mistretta and Kyle Toulouse will provide added
depth.

Tight End
At tight end, seniors Paul Nielsen and Josh Nims look to compete
for the top spot. Both players have been hampered by injuries
throughout their collegiate careers, but will look to stay healthy
and become major factors in 2009. Nielsen played in five games as a
backup last season, while Nims saw action in seven contests.

"We are hoping that Paul Nielsen and
Josh Nims can have breakout years," said Gilmore. "They have both
shown glimpses in practice since they have been here, but they have
not consistently been on the field because of injuries. We think
both of them have the potential to help us a lot at tight end, so
we are hoping they stay healthy throughout the season and produce."

Sophomore Alex Schneider is expected to
push Nielsen and Nims for playing time, while senior Mike
Argillander, freshman Hank Brigham and freshman Josh Hauser and
will also look to contribute.

Running Back
The Crusaders have two young players who will compete for the
starting spot at tailback. Sophomore Matt Bellomo leads the way,
after rushing for 150 yards on 39 carries and catching four passes
for 37 yards in six games last season. Sophomore Francis Camara
should also be a key factor, after totaling three carries and one
reception in six appearances last year.

"Both Matt Bellomo and Francis Camara
are very talented players who gained some experience last season,"
said Gilmore. "They both have the potential to be great players
here at Holy Cross. We obviously lost a lot at tailback with the
graduation of Terrance Gass and Mike Kielt, but we feel good about
Bellomo and Camara being able to pick up the pieces and produce for
us."

Senior Matt Jackson will also look to
earn playing time, along with freshmen Reed Apfelbaum, Sam Auffant,
Anthony Blake, Aleck DaGrosa, Eddie Houghton and Colin Reno.

Offensive Line
In addition to all of the talent returning at the skill positions,
the Crusaders return four out of five starters and two All-Patriot
League selections on the offensive line. Last year, the line paved
the way for Holy Cross to average 455.4 yards of total offense and
34.4 points per contest. The Crusaders also allowed just 16 sacks
during the 2008 season, while the team attempted 523 passes (just
one sack for every 33.7 times the team dropped back to pass).

Leading Holy Cross this season will be four players who started at
least nine games during the 2008 campaign. Senior Chris Smith will
be back for his fourth year as the starting center, while senior
Chris Poole and senior Rob Petrosino return as the starting guards,
and senior Aaron Jones is back as the starting left tackle. Junior
Mike McCabe, who may be the most talented of all the linemen, is
expected to be back in the starting lineup at right tackle, after
missing the final nine games of the 2008 season due to injury.

"I expect this to be the best offensive
line we have had since I have been at Holy Cross," said Gilmore.
"We have a lot of experience, and it is one of the biggest
offensive lines we have ever had. They also work well together as a
unit, having played so many games together, and are a very
tight-knit group both on and off the field. An offensive line that
has this kind of ability and experience does not come around very
often."

Senior Chris Fucillo, junior Mike
Bernazzani, junior Scott Wise and sophomore Kyle Seddon all saw
action as backups last season, and will look to push the starters
for playing time, along with sophomores Andrew Jameson and Sean
Whited. Others who will look to contribute, include seniors Matt
Brady, Justin Johnson and Brandt Tierney; junior Graham
Gawryszewski; and freshmen Casey Bessemer, Fred Hilow, Billy Lang
and Kyle Pedretty.

"There are a number of backups on our
offensive line who are very good players," said Gilmore. "We are
very comfortable putting them on the field, knowing that they can
perform without the offense missing a beat."

Linebacker
The linebackers look to be a strength for Holy Cross, with all four
starters and two All-Patriot League selections returning. Senior
Marcus Rodriguez is back at one of the inside linebacker spots,
after totaling 68 tackles, four sacks and eight tackles for loss in
2008. Senior Andrew Cialino, who recorded 26 tackles while playing
in just five games due to injury, returns as the other starting
inside linebacker.

"Marcus Rodriguez and Andrew Cialino
are two guys who really understand what we are doing and what we
are trying to accomplish," said Gilmore. "And they are starting to
take bigger leadership roles than they have done in past years. So
we are looking to both of those guys, not only to be productive
players, but to be the leaders of the defense."

Junior Perry Townsend, sophomore C.J.
Martin and sophomore Ricky Otis, who saw action as backups and on
special teams last season, are also expected to be key
contributors. In addition, senior Wayne Nesbit, junior Brian
Mauthe, freshman Pat O'Connell and freshman Roman SanDoval will
look to win playing time.

On the outside, senior Sean Lamkin will
be back in the starting lineup, following a 2008 campaign in which
he led the team with 71 total tackles, including six tackles for
loss. Senior Anthony Campbell returns as the other starter on the
outside, after recording 24 tackles and four tackles for loss a
year ago.

"Sean Lamkin is the most experienced
outside linebacker we have," said Gilmore. "He is one of the
toughest guys we have on the team, and he is very well respected.
He has been a very productive, physical player for us. Anthony
Campbell is a guy who had the opportunity to step in halfway
through last season, and he had a couple of outstanding games. He
had a breakout year in 2008, and we expect him to continue to
improve."

Junior James McLaughlin, junior Rory
Sullivan and sophomore Jimmy Thomas should also play key roles off
the bench at outside linebacker, while freshmen Donald Harvey,
David Herman and Erik Wachter will provide added depth.

Secondary
The secondary should also be strong this season, with three out of
four starters and an All-Patriot League selection returning. At one
cornerback spot, senior Michael Wright returns as the starter,
after totaling 34 tackles, an interception and a team-best 12 pass
breakups in 2008. Junior Anthony DiMichele, who recorded 66
tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups a year ago, is back
as the other starting cornerback.

"It is great having both Anthony DiMichele and Michael Wright
back," said Gilmore. "Wright is a great cover corner. He is not the
biggest guy out there, but he has done a great job of building
himself up physically. DiMichele battled through some injuries last
season, and still made a lot of plays for us. We are really excited
to have both of them back at those critical positions."

Senior John Myrick and sophomore
Chandler Fenner will look to push Wright and DiMichele for playing
time, and should also see action in nickel and dime packages.
Junior Kyle Smith and sophomore Cav Koch will also look to become
factors.

At free safety, junior Alex Johnson
returns as the starter, after totaling 47 tackles and five pass
breakups last season. Several other players will compete for the
starting strong safety spot, including senior Dakota Allosso,
senior Pat Haidon, senior Quentin Liggins and sophomore Clay
Swigert.

"Alex Johnson has become a lot more
comfortable at the position, and you could see that as last year
went along," said Gilmore. "He is starting to command better
knowledge of the defense, and how offenses are trying to attack us.
Then at the other spot, the guys who are battling to play are Clay
Swigert, Dakota Allosso, Quentin Liggins and Pat Haidon. It will be
an interesting competition to see who ends up starting, but we know
all four of those players are capable of helping us."

Senior Jachin Leatherman and sophomore
Colby Husby will also look to win playing time, while freshmen Jake
Bauder, Kevin Gallagher, James Lizotte and Tom Mannix will provide
added depth.

Defensive Line
The defensive line will be led by a pair of returning starters in
senior Alex Carson and junior Mude Ohimor. Last season, Carson
started every game, totaling 28 tackles, two tackles for loss and
two pass breakups. Ohimor is also coming off a solid year, during
which he recorded 17 tackles and two tackles for loss. Senior
Nicholas MacDonald will look to take over as the other starter
along the defensive front, after posting 15 tackles and two sacks
in 2008.

"I really like the guys we have coming
back on the defensive line, in Nicholas MacDonald, Alex Carson and
Mude Ohimor," said Gilmore. "We have a lot of talent and toughness
in that group, and we are starting to see those guys become very
productive. MacDonald and Carson are two seniors with a lot of
experience, and Ohimor is someone who we expect to have a breakout
year."

Junior Marcus Morgan and junior Anthony
Ruoti are also expected to be key factors on the defensive line.
Also looking to compete for playing time will be junior Matt
Ferrel, sophomore Ryan McGinn and sophomore Eric Oldiges. Freshmen
Jack Maliska and Schuyler Waterhouse will look to contribute.

Special Teams
The Crusaders will need to replace their top placekicker and their
top punter from last season. Junior Rob Dornfried and junior Don
Lemieux will compete for the placekicking spot, while both of those
players will battle with sophomore Corey Page to be the starting
punter. Lemieux took over the kickoff duties late last season, and
averaged 59.8 yards on 13 kicks with two touchbacks. Dornfried also
saw limited action in 2008, punting once for 37 yards.

"Don Lemieux and Rob Dornfried have
completely different styles, but they have found ways to be very
productive on the field," said Gilmore. "Both of them had good
springs, and the unique thing is that they both kick and punt. The
situation with those two competing for the same positions has made
them both better. In addition, Corey Page has a lot of potential,
and is going to be in that competition for the punting position."

As for kick returners, the Crusaders have a number of experienced
players. Jenkins led the team by averaging 6.3 yards on 23 punt
returns last season, in addition to posting a 18.6 yard average on
25 kickoff returns. Santana could also be a factor on both kickoff
and punt returns, while Fenner, Alex Johnson, McCall, Swigert and
Wright should see action as kickoff returners.

Schedule
The 2009 schedule looks to be tough, as it includes five contests
against schools which won at least seven games in 2008. The
Crusaders will open the season with a three-game homestand, staring
on Sept. 5 against Patriot League rival Georgetown. Holy Cross will
then play host to Sacred Heart on Sept. 12, before welcoming 2008
Ivy League co-champion Harvard to town on Sept. 19. Following a bye
week, the Crusaders travel to Northeastern of the Colonial Athletic
Association on Oct. 3, then head to 2008 Ivy League co-champion
Brown on Oct. 10.

Holy Cross returns to Fitton Field to
face Dartmouth on Oct. 17, and will then play host to 2008 Patriot
League champion Colgate on Oct. 24. Next, the Crusaders will play
two straight road games, at Fordham on Oct. 31, and at Lehigh on
Nov. 7. Holy Cross will play its final home game of the season
against Lafayette on Nov. 14, before closing out the year at
Bucknell on Nov. 21.

"We are playing another very
competitive schedule this season," said Gilmore. "There are a
number of challenging teams in our non-conference schedule, and
then in the Patriot League there is going to be a lot of parity.
Every single game is going to be critical, so in order to have
success, we will have to take it one game at a time, and step up in
the big games."